edson83: Priority. You have to know what you want and need. Not get anything more and minimize everything. Then it doesn't have to be so fragile even if it's light. LAN showed me that today with shifters integrated in the grips. A bit lighter than normal and less fragile.

@edson83 : my 6,99 FM038 full rigid ain't fragile at all. I'd be more concerned with a bike under 6kg, first with saloon tires Jonas is right, try for yourself. for example, the Ax lightness material are some of the most rigid in the industry..

_________________Enjoy your time under the sun.. and when its cold and dark don't worry too much, the world will keep spinning and your time in the sun will come again.

I agree with Cerro and tskubi- Nowadays a light bike doesn't have to be expensive and fragile.

The examples posted up by edson 83 indeed look a little flakey and have some parts I wouldn't be super confident riding day in day out. However, I recently built a 8.2kg full sus (from all new parts- nothing secondhand) for less money in total than I was going to spend on a Santa Cruz frame alone! Granted 8.2kg is not crazy light but it is lighter than the hardtails most people race let alone full sus and it was done on a tight budget.

Final weight on the Scalpel should be 7.8kg without any Schmolke, Extralite, etc. Still within a reasonable budget and no parts that I would happily let a chunky friend have a ride on

We are really lucky that we have so many light, cheap and strong parts to pick from nowadays. Schmolke and Tune are no longer the only options and Keith Bontrgaer's "light strong chep, pick two" doesn't really apply any more. It is all about making careful choices and doing your research. Most most recent find for the Scalpel build is an 135g seatpost (31.6x350) for just £60. That was unthinkable not too long back!

My local shp is routinely building Open 29ers under 7kg without any really exotic parts. I did ride one true beauty they had with Acros hydraulic shifting, tubular wheels, and AX Lightness parts which came in under 6kg. I think I have some pictures of it somewhere.

Rubbish. 7kg isn't 'normal' for a bike with gears and suspension, without some serious exotica or some very light parts.

Totally agree.

Open do off the peg Lefty/ XX1 build which they say is 7.3kg but everything is AX-Lightness/ Claviculas/ etc. That is pretty damn exotic and as weightweenie/ potentially fragile as parts comes. The more "sensible" version with Enve everything (still pretty damn exotic and expensive) and Acros shifting is 8.3kg claimed. The rigid, without pedals mind, is claimed 6.4kg and again that is covered in AX stuff. Lauf/ AX, 6.6kg claimed no pedals. I'd be very surprised to see a sub 7kg bike built easily without any exotica and including pedals.... especially a 29er!

I think the lack of interest in the uberlight is best indicated by this 6850g build only getting 8 comments here on WW!

It is really an amazing achievement and swap the tyres and I think most people would ride it. Yet very little interest. Strange.

dukezpol: What do you mean with no exotic parts at all? MCFK steerer, THM Carbones crankset, Bebop. Pretty exotic parts compared to a normal build with a regular fork, Sram XX1 crank and XTR pedals or Eggbeater

I think "exotic" is a term that means different things to different people. If you can afford them, THM components are not particularly exotic... especially among weight weenies. Some people find XTR exotic simply because it is out of their price range.

Here are some photos of the bike I test-rode. This one was 7kg with suspension fork and no pedals. I don't have pics of the lighter bike with the rigid fork. But it's on display at the shop. Maybe I can snap some pics next time I am there.

I think "exotic" is a term that means different things to different people. If you can afford them, THM components are not particularly exotic... especially among weight weenies. Some people find XTR exotic simply because it is out of their price range.

Agree XTR can be "exotic" for some, but Claviculas are the lightest, most expensive, most weightweenie cranks out there. Same with AX stuff. If Schmolke/ AX/ Clavs are not exotic then what is? It isn't just a case of those items being expensive but that that are the leading weenie parts. There isn't anything lighter even if money were no object.

Quote:

This one was 7kg with suspension fork and no pedals.

Highly, highly skeptical of that to say the least! I'll eat my words with a scale shot but no way is that 7kg

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